The Valley Blue Jays claimed the silver medal at the U15 boys Saskatchewan provincial softball championships in Saskatoon July 4-6.
The team, made up of players from Laird, Rosthern, Hague and other communities in the Sask Valley region, lost the provincial championship final by a score of 3-2 to the Rosebud Royals. Both teams will compete at the National Championships in Winkler, Manitoba August 13-18.
The provincial tournament saw six teams competing for the title, including: Valley Blue Jays, Saskatoon Selects, Rosebud Royals, Prince Albert Astros, Parkland Wildcats and Treaty 4 Thunderstrikers.
The Blue Jays went into the tournament hoping to repeat as provincial champions, having claimed the crown in 2024. They got off to a hot start, beating the Saskatoon Selects 17-0 in their opening game, but lost their second game of the round robin by a score of 11-0 to the Rosebud Royals. They rebounded with a 10-0 victory over the Prince Albert Astros in game three, and followed that up with a 16-3 spanking of the Parkland Wildcats. In the semi-final match-up they punched their ticket to the gold medal game by downing the Astros 10-0. The 3-2 loss to he Royals in the championship final was disappointing, but they’re optimistic they can claim the national crown next month in Manitoba.